2 Corinthians 3 DO we again begin to commend ourselves? Or need we, as some, letters of commendation to you, or of commendation from you?

ABU⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ DO we again begin to commend ourselves? Or need we, as some, letters of commendation to you, or of commendation from you? ² Ye are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; ³ being made manifest that ye are a letter of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in fleshly tablets of the heart. ⁴ And such confidence have we through Christ, toward God. ⁵ Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; ⁶ who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the spirit makes alive. ⁷ But if the ministration of death, engraven with letters in stones, was made glorious, so that the sons of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away; ⁸ how shall not the ministration of the spirit be more glorious? ⁹ For if the ministration of condemnation is glory, much more does the ministration of righteousness abound in glory. ¹⁰ For even that which was made glorious has no glory in this respect, on account of the glory that excels. ¹¹ For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which abides is glorious. ¹² Having therefore such hope, we use great plainness of speech; ¹³ and not as Moses put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the end of that which was to be done away. ¹⁴ But their understandings were hardened; for until this day the same vail on the reading of the old covenant remains, not being taken away; which vail is done away in Christ. ¹⁵ But even unto this day, when Moses is read, a vail lies upon their heart. ¹⁶ But whenever it turns to the Lord, the vail is taken away. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ¹⁸ But we all, with unvailed face beholding in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.